


The Nutcracker Prince

by Bittersweet_in_Boston



Series: The Four Seasons [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Ballet, Christmas Eve, Christmas Party, Christmas Punch, Christmas Smut, Drosselmaier’s nephew, Herr Drossemaier, M/M, Marie Stahlbaum - Freeform, New York City, New York City Ballet, References to The Nutcracker, The Mouse King - Freeform, The Nutcracker Ballet, The Nutcracker Prince - Freeform, The Nutcracker is a wacky story y’all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:15:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21809404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bittersweet_in_Boston/pseuds/Bittersweet_in_Boston
Summary: A mysterious cloaked figure stands there, their face in shadow under their impressive top hat. Who could it be? Stephen cranes his head to get a better look. Who is it? And then he knows. It’s his godfather, Herr Drosselstark, accompanied by two large boxes.And a boy.The most beautiful boy Stephen has ever seen. He has long dark hair that falls to his shoulders and twinkling blue-grey eyes. He’s wearing a dark cape similar to Herr Drosselstark’s, and when he surrenders it to the maid, he catches Stephen’s eye and winks.Stephen swallows and feels himself go red. He pulls himself together and goes up to greet his godfather. Herr Drosselstark has divested himself of cloak and hat. He wears a dark red coat trimmed with gold and matching knickerbockers. His hair and eyes are dark...or one should say “eye,” as a black patch covers his left eye. He sports a complicated beard and looks altogether like an exotic pirate.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: The Four Seasons [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559860
Comments: 4
Kudos: 39





	The Nutcracker Prince

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: this story is based on the New York City Ballet version of The Nutcracker, which is a decades-long tradition at the holidays and considerably less batshit than some of the other versions of the ballet (and the original story by ETA Hoffmann). There are some nods to the narration in the 1993 movie version of this ballet; many people were not happy that this narrative was added to the ballet, even though Kevin Kline’s voice is lovely and very soothing.
> 
> There is a tiny bit of violence in this story but it’s very brief and very theatrical.

This is the Stahlbaums’ house. These are their children, Stephen and Natalia. 

Dr. Nicholas Stahlbaum and his wife, Frau Maria Stahlbaum, always throw a lavish party for family and friends on Christmas Eve. Their spacious townhouse opens to dozens of guests and filled to the brim with food, presents, and holiday decorations. Delicious smells waft through the rooms and down the halls, heralding all the promise and excitement of a spectacular occasion.

The party is yet to begin and right now the doctor and his wife are closeted in the living room, supervising the final decorations to the enormous Christmas tree. They’ve ordered Stephen and Natalia to remain in the hall to keep them out of the way.

Natalia, often a bit of a brat, is desperately trying to look through the keyhole to see what’s happening in the living room. Stephen pushes her out of the way and scolds her, but then can’t help taking a peek himself. They start a quarrel...that Dr. Stahlbaum himself breaks up a few minutes later as he comes into the hall.

He’s an imposing figure, tall, bald, and bearded, wearing a long navy blue frock coat and silver-trimmed waistcoat with dark grey trousers. Frau Stahlbaum follows him, looking lovely in a matching long navy dress with a high collar and silver piping. Stephen wears a blue velvet jacket with red piping, a white blouse, and matching blue knickerbockers; Natalia is in a dark red velvet dress with black trim.

Soon the guests start arriving. There are Stephen’s friends Sam and Clint, and their parents, Herr Coulson and his wife Melinda. Here come his friend Peter and his aunt May. Then Natalia’s friends Wanda and Pietro enter, along with their father, Dr. Selvig, followed closely by their cousin Hope and her mother, Frau Potts. All are dressed in their finest for the party; the children hug and play hopscotch and leapfrog, and the adults all greet each other warmly.

Finally they’re allowed into the living room to see the tree, and oh, what a tree! It seems to Stephen to be a hundred feet tall, covered with lights and sparking ornaments, and heaped all around with the most tantalizing presents. All the children crowd around the tree and gaze at it in awe while the Stahlbaums offer the adults Christmas punch.

A few minutes later the grandparents arrive. Grandfather Thor has long silver hair and a long beard, and Grandmother Janet has a long greyish braid and sparkling blue eyes. They bring presents for all the children and give them all hugs and kisses. Dr Stahlbaum claps his hands to start the dancing...

...but suddenly the clock chimes and the toy owl that stands atop it hoots three times. Stephen stops as if transfixed and then turns toward the doorway.

A mysterious cloaked figure stands there, their face in shadow under their impressive top hat. Who could it be? Stephen cranes his head to get a better look. Who is it? And then he knows. It’s his godfather, Herr Drosselstark, accompanied by two large boxes.

And a boy.

The most beautiful boy Stephen has ever seen. He has long dark hair that falls to his shoulders and twinkling blue-grey eyes. He’s wearing a dark cape similar to Herr Drosselstark’s, and when he surrenders it to the maid, he catches Stephen’s eye and winks.

Stephen swallows and feels himself go red. He pulls himself together and goes up to greet his godfather. Herr Drosselstark has divested himself of cloak and hat. He wears a dark red coat trimmed with gold and matching knickerbockers. His hair and eyes are dark...or one should say “eye,” as a black patch covers his left eye. He sports a complicated beard and looks altogether like an exotic pirate.

Herr Drosselstark greets Stephen warmly and introduces him to the boy - his nephew, recently arrived from Moscow. Stephen blushes again but resolutely sticks his hand out for the nephew to shake. Instead, the nephew bends and kisses his hand, whispering, “I’m James.”

“Stephen,” Stephen stammers out, feeling his flush rise all the way to his scalp.

“I know,” whispers James, and winks at him again.

Then it’s time for Herr Drosselstark to open his big boxes. The first box contains a huge mechanical doll dressed in a harlequin costume, with a deep red face and a large yellow jewel on its forehead. Drosselstark claps his hands and the doll dances around the room and then appears to levitate off the ground, the jewel on its forehead glowing brightly. Children and adults both ooh and aah in wonder.

The second box opens, and out jumps another mechanical doll. It wears a full hussar’s uniform but it has a metallic face and glowing eyes. It leaps around and pretends to shoot at Stephen and his friends, and they obligingly “die” in pantomime. As the dolls are returned to the boxes, the children crowd around Drosselstark in excitement. Dr Stahlbaum shoos them away and offers Stephen’s godfather some punch, which he takes in relief.

And then the dancing starts. The adults line up on the sides of the room and the children in the middle. Stephen had lost sight of James during the demonstration of the dolls, but suddenly he feels a hand on his shoulder and there stands James, asking him to dance. They lead the children in a gavotte and a galop, and every time James holds Stephen’s hand in his, he feels a warm feeling in the base of his stomach.

After the dancing all the adults call the children over to get their presents. Sam gets a wind-up bird. Clint gets a toy bow and arrow. Hope gets a junior chemistry set. Dr and Mrs. Stahlbaum call Natalia over to give her a new pair of ballet shoes. Stephen sees all the children receiving gifts and is happy for them, but also a little sad he’s been left out.

Then Godfather Drosselstark calls him over and produces a beautiful toy for him from behind his back. It’s a nutcracker with black hair, blue eyes, and rosy cheeks, wearing a black and red uniform. A soldier, with a strong jaw. It looks familiar, somehow.

Stephen takes the nutcracker and dances around delightedly for a moment, then hugs Herr Drosselstark.

“It’s wonderful,” he says. “Thank you so much, Godfather.” Herr Drosselstark smiles, and produces a few walnuts, apparently by conjury.

“Shall we?” he says. Stephen nods eagerly. They crack a few nuts, and then Natalia, distracted from her dance shoes, comes running over.

“Can I try?” she says, reaching out for the nutcracker. Stephen graciously hands it over to her. She cracks a nut, but in the process gets her hand caught in the nutcracker’s mouth. She shrieks.

“Bad nutcracker!” she says, and furiously throws the toy on the ground. The handle breaks off the back, and the nutcracker’s left arm is severed at the shoulder.

“Natalia!” her father yells, and strides over to spank her. Stephen picks up the pieces of the toy, feeling as though his heart will break. He looks at Herr Drosselstark.

“Can you fix him?” he pleads. Drosselstark smiles.

“Of course,” he soothes. Then he takes the toy and ties his handkerchief around the head as a temporary bandage. Stephen takes the wounded nutcracker and kneels down to lay him on the little doll bed by the Christmas tree, his eyes shiny with tears. He looks up, and there’s James standing over him, smiling but with a little sadness deep in his eyes.

“It’ll be OK,” says James, helping Stephen up. “I’ll be OK.” Stephen is confused but smiles back at him.

After a bit, it’s time to say goodnight. Grandfather Thor yawns widely and raises his arms over his head. He and Grandmother Janet leave shortly thereafter. The other families begin to take their lead, getting their coats and saying goodbye. Natalia refuses to let her friends and cousins leave, has a temper tantrum, and has to be carried off to bed by Dr Stahlbaum, kicking and screaming.

Herr Drosselstark and James appear, hatted and cloaked, to take their leave. Stephen doesn’t want to say goodbye to James, but something tells him that he’ll see him again very soon. He reaches out to clasp James’ hand. James holds his hand for a few seconds, then pulls him close, his cloak billowing around them. Then he puts a small metal disk into Stephen’s hand, about the size of a fifty-cent piece.

“Be brave,” he whispers. “I’ll be with you.” And then he follows his uncle into the night.

*****

Later that night Stephen lies in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He can’t sleep after the excitement of the evening, thinking about James. And his new nutcracker - why does it seem so familiar? Is it special?

Suddenly he remembers that his nutcracker is broken, and thinks with sadness about it lying all by itself in the big living room by the Christmas tree. It’s all alone downstairs - what if he’s lonely?? Or scared??

Stephen sits up resolutely and gets out of bed. He throws on his robe over his pajamas, stopping to put the metal disk into his pocket, and creeps cautiously downstairs. The house is big and cold and forbidding, but he makes it to the living room and rushes to the doll bed where the nutcracker lies.

He’s still here, and still broken. Stephen stifles a glad sob and hugs him to his chest. He yawns, and goes and lies down on the chaise lounge on the other side of the living room. Soon he’s fast asleep, holding his nutcracker close.

A few minutes later, Frau Stahlbaum comes into the living room, a shawl over her party dress. She’s heard the noise and come to check that everything is OK. She sees Stephen on the chaise and lovingly drapes her shawl over him. Then she kisses him sweetly on the cheek and goes upstairs to bed.

Herr Drosselstark comes stealthily into the room after that. He sees Stephen and the nutcracker, and carefully pulls the toy from under his godson’s arm. He fixes the nutcracker’s jaw so it works again and then attaches a tiny metal arm where its left arm has broken off. He puts it back under the crook of Stephen’s elbow and tenderly touches the boy’s face before disappearing theatrically into the night.

Hours (minutes?) later, some ominous rustling hisses through the living room and Stephen awakes with a start. He’s temporarily disoriented at finding himself somewhere other than his bed, looks around, and realizes where he is. He hears more rustling and is surprised to see a huge mouse scurry across the floor near the sideboard. He puts his nutcracker down on its tiny bed, hardly noticing that it’s been fixed, and gets up to investigate.

Another person-sized mouse creeps across the floor, natters at him, and disappears. Stephen has put his hand in his pocket and found the small disk there, and when he sees the second mouse he startles and drops the disk on the floor by the chaise.

Why are the mice people-sized? thinks Stephen in bewilderment. And then suddenly he realizes the truth - the mice aren’t people-sized, he’s mouse-sized. As he looks up, the Christmas tree starts to grow.

...and grow...

...and grow...

...and grow...

...until it’s towering into the sky. All the furniture also grows large, and Stephen stands by the leg of the chaise in fear and wonderment.

It’s then he remembers his dear nutcracker, and looks around for him. But the tiny doll bed has vanished, and in its place is a full-size bed with a full-size nutcracker in a dashing black and red uniform, with a long white beard and a gleaming metal left arm.

Just then a brace of large mice steps out the shadows and begins to advance toward Stephen and the nutcracker. A squadron of toy soldiers appears on the other side of the living room and rapidly gets into formation. Stephen runs to the bed and shakes the nutcracker to wake him up. His face is blank and doll-like, but his blue-grey eyes look familiar.

The nutcracker prince stands up and grabs a sword from a nearby toy box. He arranges the soldiers in formation, giving them quick orders as the mice move toward them menacingly. Some of the soldiers have familiar faces: Sam and Clint and Nat and Hope and Peter. As the mice move forward, Stephen can see that they all wear black badges with an ominous logo: a crimson skull sitting atop a tangle of octopus tentacles.

The soldiers attack. Some are successful; some are carried off by the mice. The soldiers fire vollies of cheese at the mice, and some of the creatures grab it and run off into the darkness.

Just as it seems the nutcracker and his brigade might be turning the tide, an even bigger mouse appears. It has seven heads, each with a glittering gold crown on it, and a red sash with a black version of the skull logo the other mice are wearing. The other mice stop fighting and stand to cheer on their leader.

As the mouse king turns its faces toward Stephen, he can see the central face shows a handsome dark-haired man with a chiseled jaw and a cruel mouth, which is occasionally reflected in the other mouse faces. The king rushes toward Stephen with his sword drawn, and the nutcracker prince steps in front of him to parry with his own blade.

The mouse king screeches in frustration and turns toward the nutcracker, raining down blows on him. The nutcracker prince fights valiantly, but the mouse king starts to use his larger size to his advantage, and the nutcracker sinks to his knees. The mouse king lands a savage hit to the nutcracker; thankfully it’s on his metal arm and he’s not hurt, but the CLANG resounds around the room.

Stephen realizes that he has to do something to save his nutcracker prince. He looks wildly around and sees the metal disk lying by the chaise. But it’s not small anymore - it’s the size of a great shield. He picks it up and swings it onto his arm, and in one fluid move flings it from his shoulder at the mouse king.

The shield hits the mouse king squarely on his central face, which roars in pain and staggers backward. The nutcracker takes advantage of this distraction to drive his sword into the mouse king’s chest up to the hilt. As he drives the sword home, the nutcracker’s face changes - the beard disappears, the white hair turns dark, and he is Drosselstark’s nephew, James.

As the mouse king sees the magical change in the nutcracker, his central face, contorted in its death throes, turns from snarling to fearful in a moment, and he dies with that fear etched on his face. The other mice also cower in fright. James pulls his sword from the king’s body and with one stroke, cuts a crown off one of his heads. The other mice shriek in terror and quickly drag the mouse king’s body away and disappear into the night.

James turns to Stephen. His face is radiant and he smiles as he walks toward him. Stephen is dazzled by his beauty and has to keep reminding himself not to drop his mouth open like he’s catching flies.

James hugs Stephen to him and kisses his forehead.

“I told you I’d be with you,” he says softly. “You were so brave. Thank you for saving me.”

“Thank you for saving me,” says Stephen, squeezing James tightly. James steps back, kneels, and offers Stephen the mouse king’s golden crown. Stephen takes it in bewilderment. James stands up and smiles.

“That’s for you, my prince,” he says, putting it on Stephen’s head. It fits perfectly. He reaches out his hand, and Stephen takes it.

“Come with me,” says James, leading him toward the giant window. The window opens and the wall disappears, and Stephen looks out on a beautiful pine forest where snow is softly falling. His heart beats wildly with excitement as he realizes that James is taking him to his magic kingdom.

They begin to walk out into the snowy woods when suddenly Herr Drosselstark appears in front of them. But he no longer looks like Stephen’s kindly if eccentric godfather - his hair is disheveled and he has a wild light in his eyes.

“Herr Drosselstark!” cries Stephen in alarm and confusion. He feels James’ hand tighten on his. Drosselstark smiles - not a nice smile - and advances closer. As he does so, he reaches up and pulls off his face to reveal a grinning red skull...

*****

Steve gasps and wakes up. He lies in his bed in Avengers Tower, and realizes it’s the middle of the night. Through the curtains he can just see snowflakes swirling around the New York sky. Bucky is holding him close. As Steve flinches, Bucky tightens his grip on Steve’s waist and mumbles in his sleep.

“Y’ok Stevie,” he murmurs, running his vibranium hand up and down Steve’s leg and hip.

“Yeah, Buck,” Steve says in a low voice, images of the dream still fresh in his mind. “Had a dream, s’all.”

Bucky wakes up completely at this news. “That dream?” he says, leaning over Steve and wrapping his arm around his chest, his voice full of concern. “On the train?”

“Nah,” says Steve in wonder. “It was _The Nutcracker._ I was Marie, and you were Drosselmaier’s nephew and the nutcracker prince, and Nat was my sister, and Nick and Maria were our parents...”

“Of course they were,” snorts Bucky.

“...and Tony was Drosselmaier, with an eyepatch and everything...”

“...you’d think that would be Fury...”

“...and there were Hydra mice, and Rumlow was the mouse king,” finishes Steve soberly. “And you killed him in a sword fight.”

“If only,” says Bucky, squeezing Steve’s shoulder. “But it’s not surprising, your dream. I mean, we did go to the holiday gala at City Ballet with Tony and Pepper last night...” Steve turns over to face him.

“...and Tony’s Drosselmaier turned into Red Skull at the end,” says Steve thoughtfully. “That’s what startled me awake.”

“Well, that certainly wasn’t in the Nutcracker we saw last night,” says Bucky lightly, but he pulls Steve close and kisses his forehead. “Red Skull! I haven’t thought about that asshole in decades.”

“Well, you were kinda otherwise occupied for decades,” says Steve dryly. He looks at Bucky’s face with glowing, shiny eyes, almost as if he still can’t quite believe this is all real. After a minute he shakes his head and buries his face in Bucky’s neck. “You looked great in that nutcracker uniform in my dream,” he growls. “All in red and black...”

“I’m sure you looked amazing in Marie’s pink and grey dress too,” says Bucky mock-seriously. He stretches out his legs, breathes in Steve’s scent, and revels in the heat that’s pouring off him. Steve barks out a laugh.

“Pink and grey aren’t really my colors,” he says, his breath tickling Bucky’s skin. “But I’m sure I could really rock a dress.” Bucky nudges Steve’s head until they’re face to face.

“Too much talk about wearin clothes, Stevie,” he murmurs. “And not enough about takin ‘em off.” He leans in to fasten his lips on Steve’s in a heated kiss and reaches down to pull up his partner’s t-shirt at the same time. Then he smiles against Steve’s lips at the noise Steve makes in the back of his throat in response.

“Are you telling me,” says Steve in gasps as he struggles to pull his shirt over his head, “that you’ll be...my own personal nutcracker...?” Bucky grins as he takes in Steve’s bare torso and the growing tent in his sleep pants. He angles his head to bite Steve’s neck.

“I dunno about crackin your nuts,” he says, kissing up to his ear. “But I can think of other things I’d like to do to ‘em.” He bites Steve’s earlobe and snakes his metal hand down Steve’s pajama bottoms to give him an indication of his plans. Steve draws in a sharp breath, throws his head back, and spreads his legs wider.

“I love the ballet,” he says.


End file.
